U.S. patent application number 17/157939 was filed with the patent office on 2021-07-29 for power source time division multiplex for thermal management and extended operation.
The applicant listed for this patent is GoPro, Inc.. Invention is credited to Casimir Karczewski, Rajesh Madhur, Aaron O'Brien, Sameer Mysore Venugopal.
Application Number | 20210232191 17/157939 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005414515 |
Filed Date | 2021-07-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20210232191 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
O'Brien; Aaron ; et
al. |
July 29, 2021 |
POWER SOURCE TIME DIVISION MULTIPLEX FOR THERMAL MANAGEMENT AND
EXTENDED OPERATION
Abstract
A method and apparatus may be used for power source time
division multiplex for thermal management and extended operation.
The apparatus includes a primary power source, a secondary power
source, and a processor. The processor obtains an internal
temperature measurement of the image capture device. The processor
may determine a thermal zone based on the internal temperature
measurement. In an example where the determined thermal zone is a
first thermal zone, the processor may be configured to draw power
from the secondary power source. In an example where the determined
thermal zone is a second thermal zone, the processor may be
configured to alternately draw power from the primary power source
and the secondary power source. In an example where the determined
thermal zone is a third thermal zone, the processor may be
configured to draw power from the secondary power source.
Inventors: |
O'Brien; Aaron; (San Clara,
CA) ; Karczewski; Casimir; (Mountain View, CA)
; Venugopal; Sameer Mysore; (Milpitas, CA) ;
Madhur; Rajesh; (San Jose, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
GoPro, Inc. |
San Mateo |
CA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000005414515 |
Appl. No.: |
17/157939 |
Filed: |
January 25, 2021 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62967256 |
Jan 29, 2020 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01M 10/623 20150401;
H01M 10/633 20150401; G03B 2217/007 20130101; G06F 1/206
20130101 |
International
Class: |
G06F 1/20 20060101
G06F001/20; H01M 10/623 20060101 H01M010/623; H01M 10/633 20060101
H01M010/633 |
Claims
1. An image capture device comprising: an image sensor configured
to obtain an input image; a primary power source; a secondary power
source; and a processor configured to: obtain an internal
temperature measurement of the image capture device; determine a
thermal zone based on the internal temperature measurement; on a
condition that the determined thermal zone is a first thermal zone,
draw power from the secondary power source; on a condition that the
determined thermal zone is a second thermal zone, alternately draw
power from the primary power source and the secondary power source;
and on a condition that the determined thermal zone is a third
thermal zone, draw power from the secondary power source.
2. The image capture device of claim 1, wherein the processor is
further configured to draw power from the primary power source on a
condition that the secondary power source is depleted.
3. The image capture device of claim 1, wherein the first thermal
zone indicates that an internal temperature of the image capture
device is below a risk of overheating threshold (ROOT) and that the
processor is not at risk of overheating.
4. The image capture device of claim 1, wherein the second thermal
zone indicates that an internal temperature of the image capture
device is above a risk of overheating threshold (ROOT).
5. The image capture device of claim 4, wherein the second thermal
zone indicates that the internal temperature of the image capture
device will exceed a thermal limit of the processor on a condition
that the primary power source is used exclusively.
6. The image capture device of claim 1, wherein the third thermal
zone indicates that an internal temperature of the image capture
device is above a threshold and approaching a thermal limit of the
processor.
7. The image capture device of claim 1, wherein on a condition that
the determined thermal zone is the second thermal zone, the
processor is configured to alternately draw power from the primary
power source and the secondary power source at a substantially
50:50 ratio.
8. The image capture device of claim 1, wherein on a condition that
the determined thermal zone is the second thermal zone the
processor is configured to alternately draw power from the primary
power source and the secondary power source at a substantially
30:70 ratio.
9. The image capture device of claim 1, wherein on a condition that
the determined thermal zone is the second thermal zone, the
processor is configured to dynamically adjust a power draw ratio to
alternately draw power from the primary power source and the
secondary power source.
10. The image capture device of claim 9, wherein the processor is
further configured to dynamically adjust the power draw ratio based
on a power source type, a power source capacity, power source
health, power source age, an electronic device type, or a processor
power requirement.
11. An electronic device comprising: a sensor configured to obtain
an internal temperature measurement of the electronic device; a
primary power source; a secondary power source; and a processor
configured to: determine a thermal zone based on the internal
temperature measurement; on a condition that the determined thermal
zone is a first thermal zone, draw power from the secondary power
source; on a condition that the determined thermal zone is a second
thermal zone, alternately draw power from the primary power source
and the secondary power source; and on a condition that the
determined thermal zone is a third thermal zone, draw power from
the secondary power source.
12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the primary power
source is an internal battery and the secondary power source is an
external battery.
13. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the primary power
source is an external battery and the secondary power source is an
internal battery.
14. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the first thermal
zone indicates that an internal temperature of the electronic
device is below a risk of overheating threshold (ROOT) and that the
processor is not at risk of overheating.
15. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the second thermal
zone indicates that an internal temperature of the electronic
device is above a risk of overheating threshold (ROOT) and that the
internal temperature of the electronic device will exceed a thermal
limit of the processor on a condition that the primary power source
is used exclusively.
16. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the third thermal
zone indicates that an internal temperature of the electronic
device is above a risk of overheating threshold and approaching a
thermal limit of the processor.
17. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein on a condition that
the determined thermal zone is the second thermal zone, the
processor is configured to dynamically adjust a power draw ratio to
alternately draw power from the primary power source and the
secondary power source.
18. A method comprising: obtaining an internal temperature
measurement of an electronic device; determining a thermal zone
based on the internal temperature measurement; on a condition that
the determined thermal zone is a first thermal zone, drawing power
from an external power source of the electronic device; on a
condition that the determined thermal zone is a second thermal
zone, alternately drawing power from an internal power source of
the electronic device and the external power source; and on a
condition that the determined thermal zone is a third thermal zone,
drawing power from the external power source.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the first thermal zone
indicates that an internal temperature of the electronic device is
below a risk of overheating threshold (ROOT) and a processor of the
electronic device is not at risk of overheating, wherein the second
thermal zone indicates that the internal temperature of the
electronic device will exceed a thermal limit of the processor on a
condition that the primary power source is used exclusively, and
wherein the third thermal zone indicates that the internal
temperature of the electronic device is above the ROOT and
approaching a thermal limit of the processor.
20. The method of claim 18 further comprising: on a condition that
the determined thermal zone is the second thermal zone, dynamically
adjusting a power draw ratio to alternately draw power from the
primary power source and the external power source.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)
[0001] This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S.
Provisional Patent Application No. 62/967,256, filed Jan. 29, 2020,
the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by
reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] This disclosure relates to thermal management of one or more
power sources.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Some power sources, such as batteries, for example, generate
heat during discharge. In a system that is thermally limited such
that it generates more heat than it can dissipate, the temperature
will continue to build until the system overheats, causing thermal
shutdown and/or reduced run times for the batteries.
[0004] Typical solutions to extend the run time of a
battery-operated system include the use of external or supplemental
batteries. These systems typically consume power from the external
or supplemental battery first until it is depleted, before
consuming power from the internal or main battery. In these
systems, the heat generated by the external or supplemental battery
is external to the thermally limited product. However, when the
external or supplemental battery is completely depleted, the
thermally limited product begins drawing power from the internal or
main battery causing heat to be generated inside the thermally
limited product, causing the system to exceed temperature
limits.
SUMMARY
[0005] Disclosed herein are implementations of methods and devices
for power source time division multiplex for thermal management and
extended operation. In an aspect, an image capture device may
include an image sensor, a primary power source, a secondary power
source, and a processor. The image sensor may be configured to
obtain an input image. The processor may be configured to obtain an
internal temperature measurement of the image capture device. The
processor may be configured to determine a thermal zone. The
thermal zone may be based on the internal temperature measurement.
In an example where the determined thermal zone is a first thermal
zone, the processor may be configured to draw power from the
secondary power source. In an example where the determined thermal
zone is a second thermal zone, the processor may be configured to
alternately draw power from the primary power source and the
secondary power source. In an example where the determined thermal
zone is a third thermal zone, the processor may be configured to
draw power from the secondary power source.
[0006] In another aspect, an electronic device may include a
sensor, a primary power source, a secondary power source, and a
processor. The sensor may be configured to obtain an internal
temperature measurement of the electronic device. The processor may
be configured to determine a thermal zone. The thermal zone may be
based on the internal temperature measurement. In an example where
the determined thermal zone is a first thermal zone, the processor
may be configured to draw power from the secondary power source. In
an example where the determined thermal zone is a second thermal
zone, the processor may be configured to alternately draw power
from the primary power source and the secondary power source. In an
example where the determined thermal zone is a third thermal zone,
the processor may be configured to draw power from the secondary
power source.
[0007] Another aspect may include a method for power source time
division multiplex for thermal management and extended operation.
The method may include obtaining an internal temperature
measurement of an electronic device. The method may include
determining a thermal zone. The thermal zone may be based on the
internal temperature measurement. In an example where the
determined thermal zone is a first thermal zone, the method may
include drawing power from an external power source. In an example
where the determined thermal zone is a second thermal zone, the
method may include alternately drawing power from an internal power
source and the external power source. In an example where the
determined thermal zone is a third thermal zone, the method may
include drawing power from the external power source.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] The disclosure is best understood from the following
detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings. It is emphasized that, according to common practice, the
various features of the drawings are not to-scale. On the contrary,
the dimensions of the various features are arbitrarily expanded or
reduced for clarity.
[0009] FIGS. 1A-B are isometric views of an example of an image
capture device.
[0010] FIGS. 2A-B are isometric views of another example of an
image capture device.
[0011] FIG. 2C is a top view of the image capture device of FIGS.
2A-B.
[0012] FIG. 2D is a partial cross-sectional view of the image
capture device of FIG. 2C.
[0013] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of electronic components of an
image capture device.
[0014] FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of an example of a thermal
management method.
[0015] FIG. 5 is a graph showing an example of power consumption
between a primary power source and a secondary power source.
[0016] FIG. 6 is a graph showing another example of power
consumption between a primary power source and a secondary power
source.
[0017] FIG. 7 is a graph showing another example of power source
consumption between a primary power source and a secondary power
source.
[0018] FIG. 8 is a graph showing another example of power source
consumption between a primary power source and a secondary power
source.
[0019] FIG. 9 is a graph showing another example of power source
consumption between a primary power source and a secondary power
source.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0020] The embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented in any
electronic device that has one or more power sources. A power
source may be a battery that includes one or more electrochemical
cells, including lithium ion (Li-ion) cells, nickel cadmium (NiCd)
cells, nickel metal hydride (NiMH) cells, or any other suitable
cells. A power source may include a sensor, for example, a
temperature sensor, configured to determine a temperature
measurement of the power source. The one or more power sources may
be internal to an electronic device, external to the electronic
device, or both. Some implementations may include more than one
internal power source, more than one external power source, or
both. The electronic device may include one or more sensors
configured to obtain an internal temperature measurement of the
electronic device. The electronic device may alternate power
consumption between a primary power source, such as an internal
battery, and a secondary power source, such as an external battery.
In the implementations described herein, a primary power source may
refer to a power source that is used for initial power draw. The
primary power source may be an internal battery or an external
battery. A secondary power source may refer to a power source that
is not used for an initial power draw. The secondary power source
may be an internal battery or an external battery.
[0021] In some implementations, drawing power from the primary
power source may raise the internal temperature of the electronic
device more than drawing power from the secondary power source. In
some implementations, drawing power from the secondary power source
may raise the internal temperature of the electronic device more
than drawing power from the primary power source. The electronic
device may be configured to adjust the amount of time that each
battery supplies power to the electronic device to maximize the run
time of the electronic device. In some implementations, the
electronic device may be an image capture device.
[0022] As described herein, the electronic device may be configured
to adjust the amount of time that each battery, internal and/or
external, supplies power to the electronic device based on a
thermal zone. The thermal zone may be identified based on an
internal temperature measurement for the electronic device. The
embodiments described herein may refer to a first thermal zone, a
second thermal zone, a third thermal zone, or any combination
thereof. Temperature ranges for the thermal zones may vary based on
the power source type, power source health, system processor,
electronic device size, electronic device geometry, arrangement of
internal components, heat dissipation components, venting, attached
accessories, mounting, airflow, electronic device thermal design,
or any combination thereof. The temperature ranges for the thermal
zones may be determined based on data from one or more temperature
sensors configured to obtain temperature measurements of one or
more critical components.
[0023] The implementations of this disclosure are described in
detail with reference to the drawings, which are provided as
examples so as to enable those skilled in the art to practice the
technology. The figures and examples are not meant to limit the
scope of the present disclosure to a single implementation or
embodiment, and other implementations and embodiments are possible
by way of interchange of, or combination with, some or all of the
described or illustrated elements. Wherever convenient, the same
reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to
same or like parts.
[0024] FIGS. 1A-B are isometric views of an example of an image
capture device 100. The image capture device 100 may include a body
102, a lens 104 structured on a front surface of the body 102,
various indicators on the front surface of the body 102 (such as
light-emitting diodes (LEDs), displays, and the like), various
input mechanisms (such as buttons, switches, and/or touch-screens),
and electronics (such as imaging electronics, power electronics,
etc.) internal to the body 102 for capturing images via the lens
104 and/or performing other functions. The lens 104 is configured
to receive light incident upon the lens 104 and to direct received
light onto an image sensor internal to the body 102. The image
capture device 100 may be configured to capture images and video
and to store captured images and video for subsequent display or
playback.
[0025] The image capture device 100 may include an LED or another
form of indicator 106 to indicate a status of the image capture
device 100 and a liquid-crystal display (LCD) or other form of a
display 108 to show status information such as battery life, camera
mode, elapsed time, and the like. The image capture device 100 may
also include a mode button 110 and a shutter button 112 that are
configured to allow a user of the image capture device 100 to
interact with the image capture device 100. For example, the mode
button 110 and the shutter button 112 may be used to turn the image
capture device 100 on and off, scroll through modes and settings,
and select modes and change settings. The image capture device 100
may include additional buttons or interfaces (not shown) to support
and/or control additional functionality.
[0026] The image capture device 100 may include a door 114 coupled
to the body 102, for example, using a hinge mechanism 116. The door
114 may be secured to the body 102 using a latch mechanism 118 that
releasably engages the body 102 at a position generally opposite
the hinge mechanism 116. The door 114 may also include a seal 120
and a battery interface 122. When the door 114 is an open position,
access is provided to an input-output (I/O) interface 124 for
connecting to or communicating with external devices as described
below and to a battery receptacle 126 for placement and replacement
of a battery (not shown). The battery receptacle 126 includes
operative connections (not shown) for power transfer between the
battery and the image capture device 100. When the door 114 is in a
closed position, the seal 120 engages a flange (not shown) or other
interface to provide an environmental seal, and the battery
interface 122 engages the battery to secure the battery in the
battery receptacle 126. The door 114 can also have a removed
position (not shown) where the entire door 114 is separated from
the image capture device 100, that is, where both the hinge
mechanism 116 and the latch mechanism 118 are decoupled from the
body 102 to allow the door 114 to be removed from the image capture
device 100.
[0027] The image capture device 100 may include a microphone 128 on
a front surface and another microphone 130 on a side surface. The
image capture device 100 may include other microphones on other
surfaces (not shown). The microphones 128, 130 may be configured to
receive and record audio signals in conjunction with recording
video or separate from recording of video. The image capture device
100 may include a speaker 132 on a bottom surface of the image
capture device 100. The image capture device 100 may include other
speakers on other surfaces (not shown). The speaker 132 may be
configured to play back recorded audio or emit sounds associated
with notifications.
[0028] A front surface of the image capture device 100 may include
a drainage channel 134. A bottom surface of the image capture
device 100 may include an interconnect mechanism 136 for connecting
the image capture device 100 to a handle grip or other securing
device. In the example shown in FIG. 1B, the interconnect mechanism
136 includes folding protrusions configured to move between a
nested or collapsed position as shown and an extended or open
position (not shown) that facilitates coupling of the protrusions
to mating protrusions of other devices such as handle grips,
mounts, clips, or like devices.
[0029] The image capture device 100 may include an interactive
display 138 that allows for interaction with the image capture
device 100 while simultaneously displaying information on a surface
of the image capture device 100.
[0030] The image capture device 100 of FIGS. 1A-B includes an
exterior that encompasses and protects internal electronics. In the
present example, the exterior includes six surfaces (i.e. a front
face, a left face, a right face, a back face, a top face, and a
bottom face) that form a rectangular cuboid. Furthermore, both the
front and rear surfaces of the image capture device 100 are
rectangular. In other embodiments, the exterior may have a
different shape. The image capture device 100 may be made of a
rigid material such as plastic, aluminum, steel, or fiberglass. The
image capture device 100 may include features other than those
described here. For example, the image capture device 100 may
include additional buttons or different interface features, such as
interchangeable lenses, cold shoes, and hot shoes that can add
functional features to the image capture device 100.
[0031] The image capture device 100 may include various types of
image sensors, such as charge-coupled device (CCD) sensors, active
pixel sensors (APS), complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS)
sensors, N-type metal-oxide-semiconductor (NMOS) sensors, and/or
any other image sensor or combination of image sensors.
[0032] Although not illustrated, in various embodiments, the image
capture device 100 may include other additional electrical
components (e.g., an image processor, camera system-on-chip (SoC),
etc.), which may be included on one or more circuit boards within
the body 102 of the image capture device 100.
[0033] The image capture device 100 may interface with or
communicate with an external device, such as an external user
interface device (not shown), via a wired or wireless computing
communication link (e.g., the I/O interface 124). Any number of
computing communication links may be used. The computing
communication link may be a direct computing communication link or
an indirect computing communication link, such as a link including
another device or a network, such as the internet, may be used.
[0034] In some implementations, the computing communication link
may be a Wi-Fi link, an infrared link, a Bluetooth (BT) link, a
cellular link, a ZigBee link, a near field communications (NFC)
link, such as an ISO/IEC 20643 protocol link, an Advanced Network
Technology interoperability (ANT+) link, and/or any other wireless
communications link or combination of links.
[0035] In some implementations, the computing communication link
may be an HDMI link, a USB link, a digital video interface link, a
display port interface link, such as a Video Electronics Standards
Association (VESA) digital display interface link, an Ethernet
link, a Thunderbolt link, and/or other wired computing
communication link.
[0036] The image capture device 100 may transmit images, such as
panoramic images, or portions thereof, to the external user
interface device via the computing communication link, and the
external user interface device may store, process, display, or a
combination thereof the panoramic images.
[0037] The external user interface device may be a computing
device, such as a smartphone, a tablet computer, a phablet, a smart
watch, a portable computer, personal computing device, and/or
another device or combination of devices configured to receive user
input, communicate information with the image capture device 100
via the computing communication link, or receive user input and
communicate information with the image capture device 100 via the
computing communication link.
[0038] The external user interface device may display, or otherwise
present, content, such as images or video, acquired by the image
capture device 100. For example, a display of the external user
interface device may be a viewport into the three-dimensional space
represented by the panoramic images or video captured or created by
the image capture device 100.
[0039] The external user interface device may communicate
information, such as metadata, to the image capture device 100. For
example, the external user interface device may send orientation
information of the external user interface device with respect to a
defined coordinate system to the image capture device 100, such
that the image capture device 100 may determine an orientation of
the external user interface device relative to the image capture
device 100.
[0040] Based on the determined orientation, the image capture
device 100 may identify a portion of the panoramic images or video
captured by the image capture device 100 for the image capture
device 100 to send to the external user interface device for
presentation as the viewport. In some implementations, based on the
determined orientation, the image capture device 100 may determine
the location of the external user interface device and/or the
dimensions for viewing of a portion of the panoramic images or
video.
[0041] The external user interface device may implement or execute
one or more applications to manage or control the image capture
device 100. For example, the external user interface device may
include an application for controlling camera configuration, video
acquisition, video display, or any other configurable or
controllable aspect of the image capture device 100.
[0042] The user interface device, such as via an application, may
generate and share, such as via a cloud-based or social media
service, one or more images, or short video clips, such as in
response to user input. In some implementations, the external user
interface device, such as via an application, may remotely control
the image capture device 100 such as in response to user input.
[0043] The external user interface device, such as via an
application, may display unprocessed or minimally processed images
or video captured by the image capture device 100 contemporaneously
with capturing the images or video by the image capture device 100,
such as for shot framing or live preview, and which may be
performed in response to user input. In some implementations, the
external user interface device, such as via an application, may
mark one or more key moments contemporaneously with capturing the
images or video by the image capture device 100, such as with a tag
or highlight in response to a user input or user gesture.
[0044] The external user interface device, such as via an
application, may display or otherwise present marks or tags
associated with images or video, such as in response to user input.
For example, marks may be presented in a camera roll application
for location review and/or playback of video highlights.
[0045] The external user interface device, such as via an
application, may wirelessly control camera software, hardware, or
both. For example, the external user interface device may include a
web-based graphical interface accessible by a user for selecting a
live or previously recorded video stream from the image capture
device 100 for display on the external user interface device.
[0046] The external user interface device may receive information
indicating a user setting, such as an image resolution setting
(e.g., 3840 pixels by 2160 pixels), a frame rate setting (e.g., 60
frames per second (fps)), a location setting, and/or a context
setting, which may indicate an activity, such as mountain biking,
in response to user input, and may communicate the settings, or
related information, to the image capture device 100.
[0047] The image capture device 100 may be used to implement some
or all of the techniques described in this disclosure, such as the
technique 400 described in FIG. 4.
[0048] FIGS. 2A-B illustrate another example of an image capture
device 200. The image capture device 200 includes a body 202 and
two camera lenses 204 and 206 disposed on opposing surfaces of the
body 202, for example, in a back-to-back configuration, Janus
configuration, or offset Janus configuration. The body 202 of the
image capture device 200 may be made of a rigid material such as
plastic, aluminum, steel, or fiberglass.
[0049] The image capture device 200 includes various indicators on
the front of the surface of the body 202 (such as LEDs, displays,
and the like), various input mechanisms (such as buttons, switches,
and touch-screen mechanisms), and electronics (e.g., imaging
electronics, power electronics, etc.) internal to the body 202 that
are configured to support image capture via the two camera lenses
204 and 206 and/or perform other imaging functions.
[0050] The image capture device 200 includes various indicators,
for example, LEDs 208, 210 to indicate a status of the image
capture device 100. The image capture device 200 may include a mode
button 212 and a shutter button 214 configured to allow a user of
the image capture device 200 to interact with the image capture
device 200, to turn the image capture device 200 on, and to
otherwise configure the operating mode of the image capture device
200. It should be appreciated, however, that, in alternate
embodiments, the image capture device 200 may include additional
buttons or inputs to support and/or control additional
functionality.
[0051] The image capture device 200 may include an interconnect
mechanism 216 for connecting the image capture device 200 to a
handle grip or other securing device. In the example shown in FIGS.
2A and 2B, the interconnect mechanism 216 includes folding
protrusions configured to move between a nested or collapsed
position (not shown) and an extended or open position as shown that
facilitates coupling of the protrusions to mating protrusions of
other devices such as handle grips, mounts, clips, or like
devices.
[0052] The image capture device 200 may include audio components
218, 220, 222 such as microphones configured to receive and record
audio signals (e.g., voice or other audio commands) in conjunction
with recording video. The audio component 218, 220, 222 can also be
configured to play back audio signals or provide notifications or
alerts, for example, using speakers. Placement of the audio
components 218, 220, 222 may be on one or more of several surfaces
of the image capture device 200. In the example of FIGS. 2A and 2B,
the image capture device 200 includes three audio components 218,
220, 222, with the audio component 218 on a front surface, the
audio component 220 on a side surface, and the audio component 222
on a back surface of the image capture device 200. Other numbers
and configurations for the audio components are also possible.
[0053] The image capture device 200 may include an interactive
display 224 that allows for interaction with the image capture
device 200 while simultaneously displaying information on a surface
of the image capture device 200. The interactive display 224 may
include an I/O interface, receive touch inputs, display image
information during video capture, and/or provide status information
to a user. The status information provided by the interactive
display 224 may include battery power level, memory card capacity,
time elapsed for a recorded video, etc.
[0054] The image capture device 200 may include a release mechanism
225 that receives a user input to in order to change a position of
a door (not shown) of the image capture device 200. The release
mechanism 225 may be used to open the door (not shown) in order to
access a battery, a battery receptacle, an I/O interface, a memory
card interface, etc. (not shown) that are similar to components
described in respect to the image capture device 100 of FIGS. 1A
and 1B.
[0055] In some embodiments, the image capture device 200 described
herein includes features other than those described. For example,
instead of the I/O interface and the interactive display 224, the
image capture device 200 may include additional interfaces or
different interface features. For example, the image capture device
200 may include additional buttons or different interface features,
such as interchangeable lenses, cold shoes, and hot shoes that can
add functional features to the image capture device 200.
[0056] FIG. 2C is a top view of the image capture device 200 of
FIGS. 2A-B and FIG. 2D is a partial cross-sectional view of the
image capture device 200 of FIG. 2C. The image capture device 200
is configured to capture spherical images, and accordingly,
includes a first image capture device 226 and a second image
capture device 228. The first image capture device 226 defines a
first field-of-view 230 and includes the lens 204 that receives and
directs light onto a first image sensor 232. Similarly, the second
image capture device 228 defines a second field-of-view 234 and
includes the lens 206 that receives and directs light onto a second
image sensor 236. To facilitate the capture of spherical images,
the image capture devices 226 and 228 (and related components) may
be arranged in a back-to-back (Janus) configuration such that the
lenses 204, 206 face in generally opposite directions.
[0057] The fields-of-view 230, 234 of the lenses 204, 206 are shown
above and below boundaries 238, 240 indicated in dotted line.
Behind the first lens 204, the first image sensor 232 may capture a
first hyper-hemispherical image plane from light entering the first
lens 204, and behind the second lens 206, the second image sensor
236 may capture a second hyper-hemispherical image plane from light
entering the second lens 206.
[0058] One or more areas, such as blind spots 242, 244 may be
outside of the fields-of-view 230, 234 of the lenses 204, 206 so as
to define a "dead zone." In the dead zone, light may be obscured
from the lenses 204, 206 and the corresponding image sensors 232,
236, and content in the blind spots 242, 244 may be omitted from
capture. In some implementations, the image capture devices 226,
228 may be configured to minimize the blind spots 242, 244.
[0059] The fields-of-view 230, 234 may overlap. Stitch points 246,
248 proximal to the image capture device 200, that is, locations at
which the fields-of-view 230, 234 overlap, may be referred to
herein as overlap points or stitch points. Content captured by the
respective lenses 204, 206 that is distal to the stitch points 246,
248 may overlap.
[0060] Images contemporaneously captured by the respective image
sensors 232, 236 may be combined to form a combined image.
Generating a combined image may include correlating the overlapping
regions captured by the respective image sensors 232, 236, aligning
the captured fields-of-view 230, 234, and stitching the images
together to form a cohesive combined image.
[0061] A slight change in the alignment, such as position and/or
tilt, of the lenses 204, 206, the image sensors 232, 236, or both,
may change the relative positions of their respective
fields-of-view 230, 234 and the locations of the stitch points 246,
248. A change in alignment may affect the size of the blind spots
242, 244, which may include changing the size of the blind spots
242, 244 unequally.
[0062] Incomplete or inaccurate information indicating the
alignment of the image capture devices 226, 228, such as the
locations of the stitch points 246, 248, may decrease the accuracy,
efficiency, or both of generating a combined image. In some
implementations, the image capture device 200 may maintain
information indicating the location and orientation of the lenses
204, 206 and the image sensors 232, 236 such that the
fields-of-view 230, 234, the stitch points 246, 248, or both may be
accurately determined; the maintained information may improve the
accuracy, efficiency, or both of generating a combined image.
[0063] The lenses 204, 206 may be laterally offset from each other,
may be off-center from a central axis of the image capture device
200, or may be laterally offset and off-center from the central
axis. As compared to image capture devices with back-to-back
lenses, such as lenses aligned along the same axis, image capture
devices including laterally offset lenses may include substantially
reduced thickness relative to the lengths of the lens barrels
securing the lenses. For example, the overall thickness of the
image capture device 200 may be close to the length of a single
lens barrel as opposed to twice the length of a single lens barrel
as in a back-to-back lens configuration. Reducing the lateral
distance between the lenses 204, 206 may improve the overlap in the
fields-of-view 230, 234. In another embodiment (not shown), the
lenses 204, 206 may be aligned along a common imaging axis.
[0064] Images or frames captured by the image capture devices 226,
228 may be combined, merged, or stitched together to produce a
combined image, such as a spherical or panoramic image, which may
be an equirectangular planar image. In some implementations,
generating a combined image may include use of techniques including
noise reduction, tone mapping, white balancing, or other image
correction. In some implementations, pixels along the stitch
boundary may be matched accurately to minimize boundary
discontinuities.
[0065] The image capture device 200 may be used to implement some
or all of the techniques described in this disclosure, such as the
technique 400 described in FIG. 4.
[0066] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of electronic components in an
image capture device 300. The image capture device 300 may be a
single-lens image capture device, a multi-lens image capture
device, or variations thereof, including an image capture device
with multiple capabilities such as use of interchangeable
integrated sensor lens assemblies. The description of the image
capture device 300 is also applicable to the image capture devices
100, 200 of FIGS. 1A-B and 2A-D.
[0067] The image capture device 300 includes a body 302 which
includes electronic components such as capture components 310, a
processing apparatus 320, data interface components 330, movement
sensors 340, power components 350, and/or user interface components
360.
[0068] The capture components 310 include one or more image sensors
312 for capturing images and one or more microphones 314 for
capturing audio.
[0069] The image sensor(s) 312 is configured to detect light of a
certain spectrum (e.g., the visible spectrum or the infrared
spectrum) and convey information constituting an image as
electrical signals (e.g., analog or digital signals). The image
sensor(s) 312 detects light incident through a lens coupled or
connected to the body 302. The image sensor(s) 312 may be any
suitable type of image sensor, such as a charge-coupled device
(CCD) sensor, active pixel sensor (APS), complementary
metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) sensor, N-type
metal-oxide-semiconductor (NMOS) sensor, and/or any other image
sensor or combination of image sensors. Image signals from the
image sensor(s) 312 may be passed to other electronic components of
the image capture device 300 via a bus 380, such as to the
processing apparatus 320. In some implementations, the image
sensor(s) 312 includes a digital-to-analog converter. A multi-lens
variation of the image capture device 300 can include multiple
image sensors 312.
[0070] The microphone(s) 314 is configured to detect sound, which
may be recorded in conjunction with capturing images to form a
video. The microphone(s) 314 may also detect sound in order to
receive audible commands to control the image capture device
300.
[0071] The processing apparatus 320 may be configured to perform
image signal processing (e.g., filtering, tone mapping, stitching,
and/or encoding) to generate output images based on image data from
the image sensor(s) 312. The processing apparatus 320 may include
one or more processors having single or multiple processing cores.
In some implementations, the processing apparatus 320 may include
an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). For example, the
processing apparatus 320 may include a custom image signal
processor. The processing apparatus 320 may exchange data (e.g.,
image data) with other components of the image capture device 300,
such as the image sensor(s) 312, via the bus 380.
[0072] The processing apparatus 320 may include memory, such as a
random-access memory (RAM) device, flash memory, or another
suitable type of storage device, such as a non-transitory
computer-readable memory. The memory of the processing apparatus
320 may include executable instructions and data that can be
accessed by one or more processors of the processing apparatus 320.
For example, the processing apparatus 320 may include one or more
dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) modules, such as double data
rate synchronous dynamic random-access memory (DDR SDRAM). In some
implementations, the processing apparatus 320 may include a digital
signal processor (DSP). More than one processing apparatus may also
be present or associated with the image capture device 300.
[0073] The data interface components 330 enable communication
between the image capture device 300 and other electronic devices,
such as a remote control, a smartphone, a tablet computer, a laptop
computer, a desktop computer, or a storage device. For example, the
data interface components 330 may be used to receive commands to
operate the image capture device 300, transfer image data to other
electronic devices, and/or transfer other signals or information to
and from the image capture device 300. The data interface
components 330 may be configured for wired and/or wireless
communication. For example, the data interface components 330 may
include an I/O interface 332 that provides wired communication for
the image capture device, which may be a USB interface (e.g., USB
type-C), a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI), or a
FireWire interface. The data interface components 330 may include a
wireless data interface 334 that provides wireless communication
for the image capture device 300, such as a Bluetooth interface, a
ZigBee interface, and/or a Wi-Fi interface. The data interface
components 330 may include a storage interface 336, such as a
memory card slot configured to receive and operatively couple to a
storage device (e.g., a memory card) for data transfer with the
image capture device 300 (e.g., for storing captured images and/or
recorded audio and video).
[0074] The movement sensors 340 may detect the position and
movement of the image capture device 300. The movement sensors 340
may include a position sensor 342, an accelerometer 344, or a
gyroscope 346. The position sensor 342, such as a global
positioning system (GPS) sensor, is used to determine a position of
the image capture device 300. The accelerometer 344, such as a
three-axis accelerometer, measures linear motion (e.g., linear
acceleration) of the image capture device 300. The gyroscope 346,
such as a three-axis gyroscope, measures rotational motion (e.g.,
rate of rotation) of the image capture device 300. Other types of
movement sensors 340 may also be present or associated with the
image capture device 300.
[0075] The power components 350 may receive, store, and/or provide
power for operating the image capture device 300. The power
components 350 may include a battery interface 352 and a battery
354. The battery interface 352 operatively couples to the battery
354, for example, with conductive contacts to transfer power from
the battery 354 to the other electronic components of the image
capture device 300. The power components 350 may also include an
external interface 356, and the power components 350 may, via the
external interface 356, receive power from an external source, such
as a wall plug or external battery, for operating the image capture
device 300 and/or charging the battery 354 of the image capture
device 300. In some implementations, the external interface 356 may
be the I/O interface 332. In such an implementation, the I/O
interface 332 may enable the power components 350 to receive power
from an external source over a wired data interface component
(e.g., a USB type-C cable).
[0076] The user interface components 360 may allow the user to
interact with the image capture device 300, for example, providing
outputs to the user and receiving inputs from the user. The user
interface components 360 may include visual output components 362
to visually communicate information and/or present captured images
to the user. The visual output components 362 may include one or
more lights 364 and/or more displays 366. The display(s) 366 may be
configured as a touch screen that receives inputs from the user.
The user interface components 360 may also include one or more
speakers 368. The speaker(s) 368 can function as an audio output
component that audibly communicates information and/or presents
recorded audio to the user. The user interface components 360 may
also include one or more physical input interfaces 370 that are
physically manipulated by the user to provide input to the image
capture device 300. The physical input interfaces 370 may, for
example, be configured as buttons, toggles, or switches. The user
interface components 360 may also be considered to include the
microphone(s) 314, as indicated in dotted line, and the
microphone(s) 314 may function to receive audio inputs from the
user, such as voice commands.
[0077] The image capture device 300 may be used to implement some
or all of the techniques described in this disclosure, such as the
technique 400 described in FIG. 4.
[0078] FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of an example of a thermal
management method 400. The method 400 may be implemented in any
electronic device, for example, an image capture device, such as
the image capture device 100 shown in FIGS. 1A-B, the image capture
device 200 shown in FIGS. 2A-D, or the image capture device 300
shown in FIG. 3. In this example, the image capture device includes
a primary power source, such as an internal battery, and a
secondary power source, such as an external battery.
[0079] Referring to FIG. 4, the method 400 includes obtaining 410
an internal temperature measurement. The internal temperature
measurement may be obtained via a sensor. The sensor may be located
on or near the processing apparatus 320 shown in FIG. 3 or in any
suitable location internal to the housing of the image capture
device. The method 400 includes determining 420 a thermal zone. The
thermal zone may be determined based on the internal temperature
measurement. Determining 420 a thermal zone may include determining
whether the obtained internal temperature measurement is within a
first thermal zone 430, a second thermal zone 440, or a third
thermal zone 450. A determination that an electronic device is in a
first thermal zone 430 indicates that the system is below a risk of
overheating threshold (ROOT) and is not at risk of overheating. A
determination that the electronic device is in the first thermal
zone 430 may indicate that the system is cool. A determination that
the electronic device is in a second thermal zone 440 indicates
that the system is above the ROOT, and that the system will exceed
a thermal limit of the system if the primary power source is used
exclusively. A determination that the electronic device is in the
second thermal zone 440 may indicate that the system is hot. A
determination that the electronic device is in a third thermal zone
450 indicates that the system is above the ROOT and approaching the
thermal limit of the system. A determination that the electronic
device is in the third thermal zone 450 may indicate that the
system is very hot.
[0080] In an example where it is determined that the electronic
device is in the first thermal zone 430, the method 400 includes
drawing 460 power from the secondary power source. In this example,
power may be drawn from the secondary power source until the
secondary power source is depleted. When the secondary power source
is depleted, the electronic device may switch to draw power from
the primary power source.
[0081] In an example where it is determined that the electronic
device is in the second thermal zone 440, the method 400 includes
alternately drawing 470 power from the primary and secondary power
sources. The ratio of the power drawn from the primary and
secondary power sources may vary based on battery type, capacity,
battery health, battery age, device type, processor power
requirements, or any combination thereof. The ratio of the power
drawn from the primary and secondary power sources may be
dynamically adjusted in real-time. Table 1 below shows some example
power drawing ratios from the primary and secondary power sources.
The ratios shown in Table 1 below are exemplary, and it is
understood that any ratio may be used.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Primary Power Source (%) Secondary Power
Source (%) 100 0 90 10 80 20 70 30 60 40 50 50 40 60 30 70 20 80 10
90 0 100
[0082] In an example where it is determined that the electronic
device is in the third thermal zone 450, the method 400 includes
drawing 460 power from the secondary power source. In this example,
the system may still overheat if the secondary power source is used
exclusively. In this example, power may be drawn from the secondary
power source until the secondary power source is depleted. When the
secondary power source is depleted, the electronic device may
switch to draw power from the primary power source.
[0083] In some examples, the method 400 may include a delay 480.
The delay 480 may be fixed or dynamic, and may be based on battery
type, capacity, battery health, battery age, device type, processor
power requirements, or any combination thereof.
[0084] FIG. 5 is a graph 500 showing an example of power
consumption between a primary power source and a secondary power
source. The graph 500 shows a percent battery usage 510, system
temperature 520 of an electronic device, and a thermal shutdown
limit 530 of the electronic device. In this example, utilization of
the primary power source 540 is exclusive, i.e., without the
utilization of the secondary power source 550. As shown in FIG. 5,
the electronic device begins drawing power from the primary power
source at point A. As the electronic device continues drawing power
from the primary power source, the system temperature 560 gradually
increases until it reaches point B. At point B, the thermal
shutdown limit 530 of the system is exceeded and causes a forced
shutdown of the system. Upon the forced shutdown of the system, the
system temperature 560 gradually decreases as the system cools.
[0085] FIG. 6 is a graph 600 showing another example of power
consumption between a primary power source and a secondary power
source. The graph 600 is an example of the power consumption when
it is determined that the electronic device is in the first thermal
zone 430 or the third thermal zone 450 shown in FIG. 4. The graph
600 shows a percent battery usage 610, system temperature 620 of an
electronic device, and a thermal shutdown limit 630 of the
electronic device. In this example, utilization of the primary
power source 640 is not initiated until the exclusive utilization
of the secondary power source 650 depletes the secondary power
source. As shown in FIG. 6, the electronic device begins drawing
power from the secondary power source at point A. As the electronic
device continues drawing power from the secondary power source, the
system temperature 660 gradually increases until it reaches point
B. At point B, the secondary power source is depleted, and the
electronic device begins drawing power from the primary power
source. As the electronic device continues drawing power from the
primary power source, the system temperature 660 gradually
increases until it reaches point C. At point C, the thermal
shutdown limit 630 of the system is exceeded and causes a forced
shutdown of the system. Upon the forced shutdown of the system, the
system temperature 660 gradually decreases as the system cools.
[0086] FIG. 7 is a graph 700 showing another example of power
source consumption between a primary power source and a secondary
power source. The graph 700 is an example of the power consumption
when it is determined that the electronic device is in the second
thermal zone 440 shown in FIG. 4. The graph 700 shows a percent
battery usage 710, system temperature 720 of an electronic device,
and a thermal shutdown limit 730 of the electronic device. In this
example, utilization of the primary power source 740 and
utilization of the secondary power source 750 is alternated to
extend the run time of the electronic device. The ratio of the
utilization of the primary power source 740 to the utilization of
the secondary power source 750 (i.e., the power draw ratio) in this
example is approximately 50:50. As shown in FIG. 7, the electronic
device begins drawing power from the primary power source at point
A. As the electronic device continues drawing power from the
primary power source, the system temperature 760 gradually
increases until it reaches point B. At point B, the electronic
device switches from the primary power source to the secondary
power source and begins drawing power from the secondary power
source. As the electronic device continues drawing power from the
secondary power source, the system temperature 760 gradually
increases until it reaches point C. At point C, the electronic
device switches from the secondary power source to the primary
power source and begins drawing power from the primary power
source. This process of drawing power by alternating from the
primary power source and the secondary power source continues until
point D. At point D, the thermal shutdown limit 730 of the system
is exceeded and causes a forced shutdown of the system. Upon the
forced shutdown of the system, the system temperature 760 gradually
decreases as the system cools.
[0087] FIG. 8 is a graph 800 showing another example of power
source consumption between a primary power source and a secondary
power source. The graph 800 is another example of the power
consumption when it is determined that the electronic device is in
the second thermal zone 440 shown in FIG. 4. The graph 800 shows a
percent battery usage 810, system temperature 820 of an electronic
device, and a thermal shutdown limit 830 of the electronic device.
In this example, utilization of the primary power source 840 and
utilization of the secondary power source 850 is alternated to
extend the run time of the electronic device. The ratio of the
utilization of the primary power source 840 to the utilization of
the secondary power source 850 (i.e., the power draw ratio) in this
example is approximately 30:70. As shown in FIG. 8, the electronic
device begins drawing power from the primary power source at point
A. As the electronic device continues drawing power from the
primary power source, the system temperature 860 gradually
increases until it reaches point B. At point B, the electronic
device switches from the primary power source to the secondary
power source and begins drawing power from the secondary power
source. As the electronic device continues drawing power from the
secondary power source, the system temperature 860 gradually
increases until it reaches point C. At point C, the electronic
device switches from the secondary power source to the primary
power source and begins drawing power from the primary power
source. This process of drawing power by alternating from the
primary power source and the secondary power source continues until
one of the power sources is depleted or the thermal shutdown limit
830 of the system is exceeded and causes a forced shutdown of the
system.
[0088] FIG. 9 is a graph 900 showing another example of power
source consumption between a primary power source and a secondary
power source. The graph 900 is another example of the power
consumption when it is determined that the electronic device is in
the second thermal zone 440 shown in FIG. 4. The graph 900 shows a
percent battery usage 910, system temperature 920 of an electronic
device, and a thermal shutdown limit 930 of the electronic device.
In this example, utilization of the primary power source 940 and
utilization of the secondary power source 950 is alternated to
extend the run time of the electronic device. The ratio of the
utilization of the primary power source 940 to the utilization of
the secondary power source 950 (i.e., the power draw ratio) in this
example is approximately 70:30. As shown in FIG. 9, the electronic
device begins drawing power from the secondary power source at
point A. In some examples, the electronic device may begin drawing
power from the primary power source. As the electronic device
continues drawing power from the secondary power source, the system
temperature 960 gradually increases until it reaches point B. At
point B, the electronic device switches from the secondary power
source to the primary power source and begins drawing power from
the primary power source. As the electronic device continues
drawing power from the primary power source, the system temperature
960 gradually increases until it reaches point C. At point C, the
electronic device switches from the primary power source to the
secondary power source and begins drawing power from the secondary
power source. This process of drawing power by alternating from the
primary power source and the secondary power source continues until
one of the power sources is depleted or the thermal shutdown limit
930 of the system is exceeded and causes a forced shutdown of the
system.
[0089] While the disclosure has been described in connection with
certain embodiments, it is to be understood that the disclosure is
not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments but, on the
contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent
arrangements included within the scope of the appended claims,
which scope is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to
encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures as is
permitted under the law.
* * * * *